Magnetic steadying device for electrodes



H. A. WINTERMUTE.

MAGNETIC STEADYING DEVICE FOR ELECTRODES.

APPLlCATiON FILED MAY 20. 1921.

1 ,409,508. Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

HARRY A. WINTEBMUTE, OI BRANCEVILLE,

CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

P!ATENT OFFICE.

A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK.

MAGNETIC STEADYIN G DEVICE FOR ELECTRODES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY A. Winner- MUTE, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Branchville in the county of Sussex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magnetic Steadying Devices for Electrodes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electric precipitators and more particularly to means for holding the discharge electrodes in centered position.

It is common practice in electric precipitation to hold the discharge electrodes, when flexible electrodes are used, in centered position by means of a spacing or steadying frame. Such steadying frame is usually held in fixed position by means of insulating connections between the frame and the casing of the precipitator.

It is sometimes not desirable to use stifi' electrodes nor may it be advisable when the materials to be precipitated are too conductive, to use insulating connections.

It is the principal object of the invent on to provide in place of the usual insulat ng connections an arrangement for steadyln the electrodes, which is not affected by the condition of the material to be collected.

The inventioncomprises principally magnetic means for holding the usual steadying frame in fixed position.

For full understanding of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawin s in which ig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the lower part of a precipitator embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the spacing frame shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modified form of the invention; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary side elevation and end view respectively of another form of the invention.

In Fig. 1, 10 represents the casing of a common form of electric precipitator comprising the collecting electrode tubes 11 and the discharge electrodes 12 which are represented as chains. It is understood, however, that the invention applies to all forms of discharge electrodes which are flexible or in Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 20,

1921. Serial No. 471,240.

general movable about their point of attachment to a supporting frame above-the collecting electrodes.

Below the collecting electrodes the discharge electrodes are held in spaced relation b means of the usual spacing frame 13. A ldischarge electrodes except the corner electrodes pass through perforations 14 in the spacing frame and are held taut by the usual weights 15. The corner electrodes 12 are connected to the frame 13 and thus support the frame, being in turn held taut thereby.

In the usual constructions according to the general practice the frame 13 would be held 1n fixed position by insulating connections between it and the casing 10 as is well understood.

.In lieu of such an arrangement I propose a magnet for accomplishing the same effect. To this end a magnet, preferably an electroma e t comprising a core 16 and a winding 17 1s disposed below the frame 13 and may be supported in any suitable manner as for instance by cross-beams 18.

The frame 13 includes an armature 19 g for co-operation with the magnet core 16.

The core 16 and the armature 19 are preferably provided with projecting portions 20 and 21 respectivel to make the air gap as small as possible. The projections are preferably rounded off to reduce the danger of flash-over or conversely to allow the reduction of the air gap to a minimum. These provisions are merely ancillary, as is well understood, to make the magnetic reluctance small for the sake of economy.

The operation is obvious. When the magnet is energized, the magnetic lines of force tend to establish the shortest magnetic path and since the magnet is fixed, the frame 13 will be drawn to a position in which the distance between projections 20 and 21 is a minimum. This position will be maintained so long as'the magnet is active.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3 the armature 25 is suspended from two electrodes 26 and carries weights 27. The weights 27 which are preferably spheres cooperate with the projections 29 in the same manner as the projections 21 in Fig. 1 cooperate with the projections 20.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 4 and NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO RESEARCH Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

5, the magnet 30 is supported above the spacing frame 31. The magnet must. of course, be disposed laterally of the group of discharge electrodes and in order to more perfectly balance the system I preferably use two magnets disposed on opposite sides of the frame 31.

This arrangement has the advantage that the dust is less liable to build up on the magnet and that a building up will not take place to any marked degree in the air gap, thus calling for a less frequent cleaning action.

In this form the pro'ections 32 on the frame 31 extend upwar ly and the projections 33 on the magnet downwardly.

While I have shown three distinct forms in which the invention can be carried out, there are, of course, other possible forms.

I claim I 1. In an electric precipitator, a group of discharge electrodes movably suspended from a support, means for holding'the electrodes in spaced relation and magnetic means operative to hold the'group in a predetermined position.

2. In an electric precipitator, a group of discharge electrodes movably suspended from a support, a spacing frame near the lower end of the electrodes and magnetic lower end of the electrodes including means 7 constituting amagnetic armature and a magnet co-operating with the armature to hold the spacing frame in apredetermined position.

4. In an electric prccipitator a group of discharge electrodes movably suspended from a support, a spacing frame near the lower end of the electrodes and magnetic means for holding the spacing frame in a fixed position, said means comprising a magnet below the frame and an armature separated from the magnet by an air gap.

5. In an electric precipitator, a group of discharge electrodes movably suspended from a support, a spacing frame connected to the bottom of some of the electrodes and provided with openings through which the remaining electrodes extend, weights attached to the free ends of the electrodes extending through the said openings and magnetic means for holding the frame in a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

HARRY A. WINTERMUTE. 

